Inequality of Opportunities in Health and Health Care
(2019) Oxford Research Encyclopedia. Economics and Finance [Online] — 1-52, published
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- Recent developments in the analysis of inequalities in health and health care have turned their interest into an explicit normative understanding of the sources of inequalities calling upon the concept of equality of opportunity. According to this concept, some sources of inequality are more objectionable than others and could represent priorities for policies aiming at reducing inequalities in health care use, access or health status. Equality of opportunity draws a distinction between “legitimate” and “illegitimate” sources of inequality. While legitimate sources of differences can be attributed to consequences of individual effort (i.e. determinants within people’s control), illegitimate sources of differences are related to circumstances (i.e. determinants beyond people’s responsibility). The study of inequalities of opportunity is rooted in social justice research and the last decade has seen empirical research using this literature at the core of their approach rapidly growing both in developed and developing countries. Empirical research on inequalities of opportunity in health and health care is mainly driven by data availability. Most studies in adult population are based on data from European countries, especially from the UK while studies analysing inequalities of opportunity among children are based in low or middle-income countries and focus on children less than 5 years old. Regarding the choice of circumstances, most studies considered social background as an illegitimate source of inequalities in health and health care. Geographical dimensions were also considered but to a lesser extent and more widely in studies in children or in countries outside Europe. Regarding effort variables or legitimate sources of health inequality, there is a wide use of smoking-related variables. Regardless of the population, health outcome and circumstances considered, scholars provided evidence of illegitimate inequalities in health and health care. Studies on inequalities of opportunity in health care are mainly found in children population; this emphasizes the necessity to tackle inequalities as early as possible.
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Jusot, F., & Tubeuf, S. (2019). Inequality of Opportunities in Health and Health Care. In Collectif (ed.), Oxford Research Encyclopedia. Economics and Finance [Online] (pp. 1-52). Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/acrefore/9780190625979.013.3